“I have faith in my community”

Chicago, IL – The following is a statement from Jung Woo Kim, DACA recipient from Los Angeles and community leader with NAKASEC, reacting to the Election 2018 results.

“2 years ago on September 6, 2016, I was on CNN giving my reaction to President Trump ending DACA; in it, I told the reporter that though I may not have faith in Congress, I told her that I have faith in people, faith in community, faith in unity, and faith in compassion.

Now, 2 years later, I am seeing that the AAPI community voted in record numbers in this year’s election and on issues that they care about like healthcare, immigration, and education. This is what happens when people have faith in each other and are united under a vision of justice. It is not the members who give me faith in Congress, but rather it is the people who give me hope. So although Trump is trying to bypass the Supreme Court to get a DACA decision, I am not worried because I have seen the direct impact of people power.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing electorate in the United States. We definitely showed our power today in 2018 and we will continue growing, organizing, and building as a community to fight back against the rampant xenophobia and racism of this administration.”

Founded in 1994, the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)’s mission is to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia, Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (HANA Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center).

Trump’s proposed “Public Charge” rule is Harmful to Families and Bad for America

Chicago, IL – Yesterday, the Trump administration officially published the proposed changes to the “public charge” rule in the Federal Register. Under this proposed rule, federal officials have the ability to deny permanent residency (aka “green card”) to immigrants who they believe would use public benefits at any point in the future. These benefits include, but are not limited to, food access, housing benefits, Medicaid, and other life-saving services. Of the 1.1 million immigrants receiving green cards each year, 31% are AAPI – meaning, changes to the public charge rule will directly impact our community.

The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) & Affiliates, Korean Resource Center (KRC) of southern California, HANA Center of greater Chicago, and NAKASEC Virginia, are dismayed that this government would increase poverty, food insecurity, housing instability and lack of access to healthcare in order to disseminate a discriminatory policy that will negatively impact immigrant families. Even more cruel, this public charge rule will make it more difficult to sponsor loved ones via the family-based immigration system, forcing people to choose between providing for their families or being with their families. With 40% of family-based immigrants being from AAPI nations, we cannot stand by while this government attacks our community and their families.

Inhe Choi, Executive Director of HANA Center, expressed:

“The proposed changes to the public charge rule have created deep fear and anxiety in the Asian American and other communities. At HANA Center, we have had numerous community members call or come into our offices asking to have their names removed from receiving public benefits out of fear of losing their immigration status and not being able to sponsor their loved ones. Denying life-saving care and benefits to vulnerable communities will only create a public health crisis which will impact everyone in this country. We must fight back!”

Jonathan Paik, Executive Director of KRC, shared:

“The language of the proposed public charge rule itself is extremely vague. The fact that federal officials would deny residency to people who they consider likely to use benefits at any time in the future will only open a floodgate of discrimination based on race, class, and perceived immigration status. This public charge rule is a scare tactic employed by the Trump administration to discourage people from accessing important benefits and limit family reunification. This is bad policy and will harm all Americans.”

Sookyung Oh, DC Area Director, stated:

“The new public charge proposal is a direct threat to family-based sponsorship. We must use our voices and speak out against these clear attacks on our community. The 60 day comment period just opened. We ask all of our community members to submit a unique public comment opposing it!”

NAKASEC & Affiliates will be following this issue very closely and will update our community as soon as we receive any further news. NAKASEC & Affiliates will also be developing our own public comments portal that our community members can use to submit public comments in opposition to the proposed public charge rule. Comments should be short, to-the-point and personal, reflecting our community’s real concerns with the proposed rule. The public comments will be open for the next 60 days through December 10, 2018. Let the government know that we say NO to changes to public charge!

Founded in 1994, the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)’s mission is to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia, Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (HANA Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center).

The Trump administration officially posted its proposed changes to the public charge rule to the Federal Register today. The proposed rule has already scared immigrants away from accessing public benefits and reduced the eligibility of many people to obtain lawful permanent residency, in the form of green cards. The rule would discriminate against children, elders, people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, caregivers, and many low-wage workers, and allow the Trump administration to deny them green cards. Already, threats of the rule change have deterred immigrant communities from using vital services out of fear of being separated from their families and loved ones in the United States.

Today’s posting marks the beginning of the 60-day public comment period. The Value Our Families coalition is urging impacted families, lawmakers, and organizations to oppose this rule change and stop it from being enacted.

Below are statements from leaders in the Value Our Families Coalition:

Becky Belcore, National Korean American Service & Education Consortium Co-Director:

“This is more of President Trump exploiting his executive power to advance his anti-family, anti-immigrant agenda, with his backdoor scam to threaten people’s residency status and block family reunification. He wants to instill fear, panic, and penalize immigrant parents from providing for their families, and keep immigrants and people of color out of this country.”

Rev. John L. McCullough, Church World Service President and CEO:

“Hard-working immigrant families shouldn’t have to choose between family reunification and having enough to eat. Investing in nutrition, health care, and other essential needs keeps children learning, parents working, and families strong, and allows all of us to contribute fully to our communities. This an attack against families and children. This type of policy goes against the tenets of our faith traditions — to welcome and love our neighbors, and especially to care for our children.”

“The public charge rule change is just another way that would force families to make the impossible choice between staying with their loved ones or seeking the programs and services they need. We call for our policymakers, the public, our community members, to everyone who believes that this is a country where we embrace families and immigrants and strive to keep families together, now is the time to speak out and oppose the public charge rule change.”

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Value Our Families is the national coalition that aims to reunite and keep families together,

We believe all survivors

Chicago, IL – The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and Affiliates, the HANA Center of greater Chicago, Korean Resource Center of southern California and NAKASEC VA of northern Virginia, are outraged and sickened by the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court.

The U.S. Senate chose to disregard the compelling, courageous account shared by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. They also completely dismissed others who have come forward about the sexual assault and other misconduct committed by Kavanaugh. And they have shut out the concerns of all the other women who have worked to make their voices heard in recent weeks. We condemn the lack of proper process and investigation into Kavanaugh’s conduct, which demonstrates a complete lack of respect for women and sexual assault survivors.

A majority of U.S. Senators also disregarded the necessity of having a Supreme Court justice who is impartial and of sound judicial temperament, neither of which was demonstrated by Kavanaugh at his hearing. Rather, Kavanaugh has blatantly stated his own bias and partisanship. In a country that should focus on combating sexual assault, where one in three women and one in six men experience sexual violence, it is shameful to confirm someone like Kavanaugh to the highest court of the land. Confirming Kavanaugh sends a terrifying and consistent message that sexual misconduct and assault are not serious and that women do not matter.

The Kavanaugh controversy has been overwhelmingly painful for women and other survivors of sexual violence in our community. NAKASEC & Affiliates takes this as a critical moment to continue to reflect and take action on providing safe and healing spaces, and educating our community about patriarchy, sexism and gender-based violence. #BelieveSurvivors #CancelKavanaugh

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Founded in 1994, the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)’s mission is to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, economic, and racial justice. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia, Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (HANA Center) and Los Angeles and Orange County (Korean Resource Center).

Justice For Laquan

Chicago, IL – HANA Center supports the verdict of justice for Laquan McDonald that was delivered today. On October 20, 2014, Chicago Police Department officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shot and killed teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times as he was walking away from him. Today, after close to four years, a jury convicted Van Dyke of second degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery.

Laquan is one of too many young, Black people who are victims of racist police violence in Chicago and nationally. As a Korean, immigrant and multi-ethnic organization, HANA Center educates, organizes and advocates for racial justice for all communities. While the justice achieved today is significant and we hope it provides some comfort for Laquan’s family and community, we must continue to combat anti-Blackness among Asian Americans and be authentic allies to the Black community. HANA Center will continue its racial justice education and organizing efforts toward this goal. #JUSTICE4LAQUAN

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HANA Center, based in greater Chicago, empowers Korean American, immigrant and multi-ethnic youth communities through a continuum of services, education, culture and community organizing. Together as one, we can advance justice and liberation for all.

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Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:07:24 +0000https://nakasec.org?p=8460